Erica Weiner has created a small jewelry empire from her Lower East Side apartment, making eye-catching, affordable pieces that are delicate and tell an intriguing story. One piece that caught our attention (as well as that of many fashion bloggers) is the Waldorf Astoria necklace ($85). Erica created a hand-cast replication of a cocktail pick used in the 1930s-50s at the Waldof Astoria Hotel. A beautifully nostalgic necklace, it would fit seamlessly into any downtown-meets-uptown wardrobe.

Another one of our favorites is the Pretzel Knot Necklace ($30). Made of matte brass and is clasp free, it features two small pretzels that can be worn layered with other necklaces or by itself for a more dainty look.

"In short, we try to make cool, affordable jewelry out of base metals, repurposed materials, and vintage chain and charms. (It's sort of like recycling, I guess.) I would say almost half of our materials come from closeout lots from the '70s and '80s, this stuff just sits around for years in dusty boxes until we get our hands on it. All of our jewelry is made in New York City, mostly at our studio on the lower east side." -Lindsay Salmon, Co-Founder of Erica Weiner Jewelry.